Book of One-Shots
by Come to the Well
Summary: Yep, I'm finally writing my book of one-shots. I'm not sure how long it will take for this to be finished, but I can assure you that there will be more than fifty chapters. Enjoy!
1. The Beginning

**AN: So I've decided to write a bunch of one-shots while I'm in between story-writing. Basically, these one-shots are based off of challenges that writers have done in the past. I'm sure I'll get past fifty one shots, so I'll likely make this one hundred chapters, maybe even more. Aside from that, the characters that are written will be based off of the series, my books and maybe even others. I'm not entirely sure how this will work out, but enjoy the challenge :P**

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Chapter 1: Beginning

It had all started during the coldest part of leafbare. Several cats were dying because of a sickness known as greencough. No warrior knew how this sickness started or what the cure for it was. Mothflight, the very first medicine cat of WindClan, was worried.

Her stormy green eyes glowed with sympathy when a sick apprentice seemed to cough endlessly.

Snakepaw was only the first of many apprentices who had come down with a case of greencough. Beside him was Elmpaw and Sprucepaw. Both cats had come in earlier that day coughing and complaining about aching stomachs.

"I don't know what to do!" Mothflight sighed in frustration.

"You'll find the cure." Mothflight stiffened when Wind, the leader of WindClan, approached her. "You were the one who found the Moonstone. Of all cats, your destiny is to fight problems like these."

"But how can I fight something I don't know a thing about?" the medicine cat demanded. "Cats are dying because I can't solve the problem!"

Mothflight shook her head and wished there was an easier way to solve the problem.

She sighed and curled up around her nest, eager to get away from it all. Wind and her mate Gorsefur were helpless as well as they watched their kits suffer. Mothflight blamed herself for the deaths of her Clanmates, not StarClan.

_I am useless_, she thought.

Her eyes closed before snapping open when the sounds of pawsteps approaching alerted her. Mothflight nearly leaped to her paws in surprise when a cat stood in front of her. His fur was covered in starlight, gleaming as bright as the moon as he studied her carefully.

"W-wha-" She was cut off by a simple wave of his tail.

"Come with me," he meowed.

Confusion coursed through Mothflight as she followed the tom. Trees began to take shape as they made their way towards Twolegplace. SkyClan's camp was nearby, close to the edge of Twolegplace. Mothflight knew to avoid SkyClan because of their unusual fighting techniques.

She ducked her head when the tom clawed his way up a fence. The tom had waited for her to claw her way under the fence, tearing up dirt and grass in the process. To Mothflight's surprise her white pelt remained clean.

"Do you see that grass growing beside the Twoleg nest?" The tom had approached her warily, but his tail was pointing towards a patch of sweet-smelling grass.

Mothflight's mouth began to water when she took in the rich scent.

"What is that?" she asked.

"That is catmint," the tom explained. "Give it to your patients, and you will see what it can do."

Hope flared within her chest when Mothflight remembered what the plant looked like. She had seen the plants before during her life as a loner. Kittypets were often very protective of the plants, but she had never understood why until now.

"Remember Mothflight, StarClan is watching over you and the Clans," the tom purred when Mothflight looked at him.

The medicine cat simply blinked in understanding before she was sent back to her own dream.

. . .

When Mothflight woke up she jumped to her paws the next heartbeat. She had moved her nest away from her den after the sick patients had taken over. Mothflight felt ensured that they were in a safe place sheltered from the cold winds of leafbare.

Wind and Gorsefur were already awake, sharing tongues as usual beside the fresh-kill pile. The few cats that weren't sick had gone on their usual patrols or training practice.

"Wind, I think I know how to cure this sickness!" Mothflight announced when she approached her leader.

The skinny brown leader looked at her in surprise. It took Mothflight a few heartbeats to explain her dream and what this 'catmint' was capable of. Wind tilted her head in confusion before shaking it.

"It is too risky to send a medicine cat out to Twolegplace," she rasped. "Kittypets won't fight us but I am sure there are rogues and loners out there willing to fight you."

"But I _have_ to get this catmint!" Mothflight hissed. Her claws kneaded the ground in frustration when she stared at Wind desperately. "If I don't more cats are going to needlessly give their lives!"

The WindClan leader seemed to contemplate over what Mothflight had said. Gorsefur simply listened to the conversation as it was meaningless to him. With each passing heartbeat of silence Mothflight was growing more impatient until it felt like her claws had buried into the ground.

"Very well," Wind finally sighed after what felt like moons had passed. "But you must take a warrior with you. I will not risk our medicine cat getting injured as well."

Mothflight ducked her head thankfully before approaching her friend, Redclaw. The dark ginger she-cat blinked in surprise when Mothflight looked at her calmly.

"You're going with me to fetch some catmint," she explained.

Redclaw simply flicked her tail before nodding in agreement. She rose to her paws and followed Mothflight as the medicine cat took the lead.

She took the path that the tom had showed her. Redclaw looked around nervously as though expecting a ThunderClan cat or SkyClan cat to leap out of the bushes. Mothflight flicked her tail in annoyance and tried to ignore her friend's nervous behavior.

"Where exactly are we going?" Redclaw demanded when they reached the edge of SkyClan territory.

"To find catmint," Mothflight replied. "I've already told you that's what we're looking for."

"But why do we need this... _catmint_?" Redclaw sounded more confused than ever when Mothflight spotted the nest the tom had shown her.

"We need it to cure this sickness," Mothflight meowed. "It's time the apprentices and warriors stopped suffering."

She didn't wait for Redclaw's answer when she bounded into the Twoleg's yard. The dark ginger she-cat was close behind her, ears flattened when they were so close to Twoleg territory. Redclaw had been born a rogue near the edge of Twolegplace. She never trusted the hairless creatures because of the horrible things they did to the forest. But this time the Twolegs were going to save the Clans.

"There it is!" Mothflight gasped when she found the sweet-smelling plant.

Her mouth began to water when she grabbed the plant by her teeth. She was careful not to pull it by the roots.

"Take this, but don't chew it," Mothflight ordered when she handed the plant to Redclaw. The warrior grabbed what she could and waited for Mothflight to take her own mouthful.

Once they had enough Mothflight returned to WindClan with little to no trouble. The SkyClan warriors had let them go through their territory when they heard about their troubles. Mothflight blinked at the patrol thankfully before bounding back to camp.

. . .

Days passed, and the sickness was finally leaving the Clan. Cats recovered more quickly than Mothflight expected. Snakepaw was already bouncing up and down at his mentor's side as they prepared to leave. Even Blackstripe, one of the senior warriors, had made a full recovery and was now patrolling the borders.

Mothflight silently thanked StarClan for the help they had offered her. As the strange tom had said before, StarClan was always watching over them.

This was only the beginning of many tests that Mothflight would have to endure. She was one of WindClan's finest medicine cats. The very beginning of the Clan. And her memory would live on forever.


	2. Wanna Play?

**AN: This is a much darker one-shot of the whole Wanna Play part. Starts off happy and fun, but... you get the idea. Anyways, thanks for your reviews WildCroconaw and Foxbracken!**

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Chapter 2: Wanna Play?

Everything was dark and quiet for the apprentices of ThunderClan. Shadepaw kept still as he listened to the soft snoring of his denmates. Normally he hated hearing them snore, but tonight seemed strangely different. An eerie feeling had crept over the young tom as he watched his sister, Graypaw, sleep.

The dark gray apprentice sighed in frustration as he struggled to fall asleep. Every time he turned in his nest he lay wide awake. Tomorrow was his final assessment, and he wanted to be fit and ready.

_Why can't I sleep_? he demanded silently. _Doesn't StarClan want me to become a warrior_?

As if his thoughts had been the answer to their question, sudden wariness washed over him. Shadepaw found his eyes getting heavier until finally sleep overcame him.

But when he finally felt sleep overcome him, Shadepaw was rudely awoken. A paw jabbed into his stomach until Shadepaw jumped to his feet. He gasped in surprise when he found himself in a strange forest filled with ancient oaks and birches.

_Where am I_? he wondered as he looked around in panic.

Shadepaw's panic slowly ebbed away when he saw a young looking tortoiseshell she-cat standing in front of him. Her eyes were a deep shade of amber, like an autumn leaf. Starlight gleamed within her fur as she strolled towards him.

"I haven't had a visitor come to me in moons," she purred warmly. "I miss playing with Cedarpelt, but he's grown out of StarClan."

"Cedarpelt?" Shadepaw stared at her in disbelief. He remembered how distant Cedarpelt had been as an apprentice. The old warrior had acted as though there was someone beside him the entire time.

"I just wanted someone to play with, but he turned me down at the last minute when he fell in love with that ThunderClan _rat_," the she-cat spat.

A shudder coursed down Shadepaw's spine when the she-cat's eyes glowed with anger. This wasn't any ordinary StarClan cat. Somehow he knew that she was capable of dangerous things. And she was about to prove it as she dropped to a hunter's crouch.

"Now, why don't you show me what _you're_ capable of," she purred.

"I... I never got your name," Shadepaw meowed. He was half-embarrassed by the sudden affection in her eyes.

"Oh, my name is Maplepaw," the she-cat explained with a shrug. "I died so many moons ago that I've forgotten how it happened. All I know is that I need a playmate now more than ever!"

Shadepaw gaped at the tortoiseshell when she lunged forward. Though she sounded playful in every way, her claws were unsheathed when she pounced on him. Shadepaw winced when she pulled off of him, ripping patches of fur in the process.

"I thought StarClan cats couldn't inflict pain," he gasped when she was finished.

"I am no ordinary StarClan warrior," Maplepaw suddenly growled. Her fur bristled slightly when she glared at Shadepaw. "Now play with me, or you will lose more than your fur!"

The dark gray apprentice realized that he had no other choice. He suddenly dropped into a crouch and glared at her as coldly as he could. This time he wasn't going to let her hurt him. With one leap he was about to pounce when Maplepaw swiftly moved aside.

He spun around to face her, only to feel the wrath of her claws once more. Shadepaw stumbled back in shock and pain when her claws scored deep marks on his face.

It took every ounce of his strength not to give in when Maplepaw sneered at him. This cat was no StarClan cat, of that he was certain. The simple look of glee when she saw his pain was enough to make him realize that she was something _much_ darker.

"Wake up!" Shadepaw flinched when he heard a voice booming around him. Maplepaw flinched too and glared around her. "Shadepaw, wake up!"

The apprentice gasped when his eyes blinked instinctively. He found himself back in the apprentice's den, shuddering from the terrifying experience. Graypaw, Thornpaw and Robinpaw were staring at him in alarm.

"Your face... it's... covered in blood!" Robinpaw gasped.

"How did this happen?" Graypaw demanded.

It took Shadepaw a few heartbeats to realize that the pain he felt was real. Everything that had happened in that horrible place was real. And he woke up with the pain.

"I..." He broke off when he remembered the look of rage in Maplepaw's eyes. Sure enough he saw her pale outline hiding in the back of the den. Her eyes were narrowed into tiny slits when she held his stare. "I must have scratched it when I went out to make dirt," he lied.

"We'd better take him to Cloudwhisker," Thornpaw meowed. Though his voice was calm, Shadepaw could tell that he was panicked by the sight of blood.

_Great, so much for becoming a warrior_, Shadepaw thought when he was carried to the medicine cat's den.

_My little apprentice, you will never become a warrior as long as you wanna play with me_, Maplepaw's voice told him.

Shadepaw groaned when he heard her sneering voice. There was nothing he could do to escape it.

Even after recovering from the wounds Maplepaw had constantly visited him in his dreams. Cedarpelt knew what was happening to Shadepaw. He knew that Maplepaw was haunting him and torturing him. But Cedarpelt did nothing to stop it. Only Shadepaw could fight back the way he did.

In the end Maplepaw's taunting and torture had become too much for Shadepaw. Cats had been shocked to find his body near the lake. A WindClan patrol had told them that they found his body had submerged in the water. Shadepaw had drowned himself to get away from Maplepaw.

No cat knew what had happened to make Shadepaw into such a fearful apprentice. Only Cedarpelt knew the truth behind it. And he knew that he would never wanna play with Maplepaw again.


	3. So You Think You're Tough, Huh?

**AN: Well look at that, a fast update and a point of view from Nightshade. Remember As The Sky Falls? Well he is the main villain in that story, and a fairly well-developed character. I thought it would be fun to explain why he took the path he did. Anyways, enjoy the chapter!**

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Chapter 3: So You Think You're Tough, Huh?

Nightshade was less than pleased to hear about Sparrowstar's latest rules of SkyClan. His mate and everything he had worked for lived in SkyClan. Yet Sparrowstar had told him that the daylight warriors were no longer allowed near the camp. He was furious in fact with Sparrowstar. So furious that he had decided to gather the daylight warriors who were cast out and take his revenge on Sparrowstar. Of course his own kits would play a large roll in his takeover.

Jaykit was fierce already and would prove himself over and over again. Frostkit would make a fine mother when her time came. As for Rainkit... well, Nightshade wasn't even sure how she would turn out. There was something about his little daughter that he didn't like.

Maybe it was for the best that Rainkit was weak. Nightshade didn't want any weak kits. Frostkit and Jaykit were just fine for him. And the Clan didn't even seem to like Rainkit, but maybe that was because she reminded them so much of him.

In the end Nightshade never suspected that Rainkit - Rainstripe when he fought her - would grow up to become the strongest warrior in WindClan.

_So she thinks she is tough_, he thought with a lash of his tail. _Well I am going to show her how tough _I_ am_.

His claws scraped against the ground until he reached his destination. A few former daylight warriors were guarding a box where a cat was being held prisoner. Nightshade grinned when he remembered the look of horror in her dark blue eyes.

"So you think you're tough, huh?" he demanded when the guards jumped aside. "Well, I can assure you that you won't feel that way after I am finished with you."

Mosspool looked at him in shock, pain and fear. It was that same look that had given Nightshade the strength to complete his task. She would always be his first choice as a mate. A fine warrior who was well respected in the Clan until now.

"I will never follow a monster like you!" Mosspool spat when she managed to find her voice.

"I am afraid you have no choice," Nightshade sneered. "You see, the daylight warriors have agreed that Sparrowstar is a mousebrained fool. In one day we will take over the gorge, and rule with stone-hard paws."

"Then you will make a terrible leader." Mosspool looked away, but he inched his tail towards her muzzle, forcing her to stare at him.

"Do you really believe that?" he growled. "These cats are willing to listen to me. They already view me as their leader."

Mosspool closed her eyes and sighed heavily.

"You're wrong if you think that SkyClan will follow you," she muttered. "They will never listen to someone like you."

"Then I guess I will have to_ make_ them listen," Nightshade hissed irritably.

He whipped around and avoided her gaze as the guards returned to their posts. Deep down he was hurt that she refused to follow him willingly. She once had loved him because of his courage and fierce attitude. Now she hated him with every ounce of her being.

_You won't be so tough when I'm finished with you_, he thought angrily. _SkyClan won't be so tough when I am finished with them_.


	4. Sunrise

**AN: Blech, this was such a short one-shot I'm not even sure if I should call it that! But I didn't know what else to add to it, so here it is. Thanks everyone for your reviews, and next chapter should be posted later tonight :D**

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Chapter 4: Sunrise

Sunrise. Robin enjoyed the sunrise more than anything else in his life.

The golden rays of the sun would peak over the hills as he peered out of his den. Warmth would spread through him as he watched the birds stir in their nests. Sunrise brought joy to every living being. Robin was no exception as he watched the sun rise over the hills.

This was his home. The flatlands were no place for a cat to live, but he'd managed to dig out a den. Near the edge of the flatlands was a bunch of hills that jutted out towards the sky. There were no Twoleg nests in sight.

Robin had chosen this territory as his home for that reason. Twolegs couldn't eek out a living in such barren landscape.

Yet he found plenty of prey and even managed to find a nest to sleep in at night. It rarely got cold because the heat of the sun baked the land during the warmest days. So Robin was the only cat to live here.

Maybe someday he would even find a mate who enjoyed this land as much as he did.

Sunrise was one of his favorite times of the day. Robin would make sure that he enjoyed it no matter what. Nothing would ever ruin his happiness of the land. Not even trespassers.


	5. Midnight Run

**AN: This is the first time I've written in first person... I don't think I've done too badly. It's about Midnight the badger and her time before she warned the Clan of the attack. And maybe something more. Anyways hope you enjoy it ^^**

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Chapter 5: Midnight Run

Run Midnight run. Must warn Clans of coming danger.

My life seems to always take a turn for the worse when I receive strange messages. Cats understand by tongue because I was taught by stars. So when it came time to warn cats of badgers approaching them, I ran.

My name is Midnight. I am a badger like no other. I am intelligent when it comes to speaking and I know when the fighting is right.

My kind do not like me because of my intelligence. Some mock me and spit at my name. Others envy me and wish they understood what I know. I keep my knowledge secret for fear they would use it against their enemies.

The Upwalkers, Twolegs, Nofurs or whatever they are called have always caused us trouble. My kind would like nothing more than to rip their throats out. That is why I cannot share my knowledge. I can even understand the Twolegs and their strange language.

I suppose that is why StarClan chose me to speak to strange cats in the prophecy. They saw me as a gifted creature that could use my knowledge to help out the living.

Moved to the sea I did after I was cast out by my family. They told me I was worthless because of my intelligence. How wrong they were when they were cast out by the Clans. Warriors forced them out of their homes and nests. Children were harmed by claws when they were forced out.

Understand I did that my family was angered. They had built their dens by the lake seasons ago before the Clan cats arrived. They were horrified to find that their territory was overrun by the Clans. They tried to fight back, but as a few they were eventually scared off.

That is why they held a meeting a few days ago. I was invited of course because they saw me as a valuable fighter. As I listened I was horrified to discover that they wanted revenge on the Clans.

Their plan was to take out one Clan at a time. I remembered what the elders said when they spoke of the battle. They had chosen to attack the Clans during the night while they were asleep. We are nocturnal creatures, meaning we hunt during the night and sleep during the day. At night we are strongest.

My family caused me great pain when I told them not to fight the Clans. They laughed at me and said I was a fool to believe the Clans are good.

I was attacked when I spoke out during the meeting. I ran because the others could not accept me for what I was. I was bullied for believing in StarClan and our own ancestors.

But they were wrong. My family will suffer for what they did to me.

I must run by my name and warn the Clan. ThunderClan will be harmed first and so I must reach them before my family does.

I won't let them hurt my friends. Never again will I return to my family for what they have done to me.

Run midnight run. The Clans are in danger, and it is up to me to warn them.


	6. Broken Promises

**AN: Yeah I know, another short chapter. But I love this idea, and the next one will be a continuation of this. Now, I'm not entirely sure if I will stick with Frostfoot-Dreamleaf's challenge or change courses, but I'll let you know if I do!**

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Chapter 6: Broken Promises

He had promised. He had promised her everything, from the Clans to ruling the mountains. But he had turned his back on her for some low-life Clan she-cat.

Every night she slipped away from her family of rogues just to meet him. A brave, handsome young tom with so much promise. He had begun to tell her stories of ruling the Clans and the Tribe that lived on the mountain. She had listened to his words, taking in everything.

Once he had even told her that she would rule by his side. They were both ruthless and cunning, matching one another's step. She taught him so much more than those warriors could. She knew how to kill and that was why he had chosen her as his queen.

"Darkstorm!" she cried when she reached the hazel bush they met under.

The muscular dark tabby was waiting for her as always. His pale yellow eyes gleamed in the darkness.

"Midnight, I'm glad you've come," Darkstorm meowed after greeting her with a dip of his head.

The black she-cat simply stared at him before narrowing his eyes. "You wanted to see me early, why?" she demanded.

"These meetings have to stop," Darkstorm suddenly explained. Midnight's eyes gleamed with anger when he shrugged. "You see, I've found another cat I'm quite fond of. Her name's Dawnfeather. She's really quite beautiful and she doesn't require as much... _attention_ as you do."

Vile rose within Midnight's throat when she glared at Darkstorm. How could he? He had _promised_ that they would stay together! Her pelt began to bristle with outrage when she took a threatening step forward.

"Don't forget that it was _I_ who taught you everything," she hissed. "I could easily end your miserable life and take over the Clans without you!"

Darkstorm raised his chin defiantly and stared at her. Even now she flinched under his fierce gaze. There was something almost bone-chilling about the way he glared that made her wish she was invisible. So maybe threatening the fiercest warrior in the Clans wasn't such a great idea.

"You think you can _control_ me?" he spat. "I could just as easily send the Clans after you and those pathetic excuses for rogues! They are nothing compared to the strength of the Clans! The next time I see you near the lake I _will flay_ _you_!"

Every word he spat sent shivers of rage down Midnight's spine. She remembered those words as though they were spoken last night. In truth moons had passed since their last fateful meeting.

Now she had three kits that had been trained to kill. They were Darkstorm's kits, though he never knew. Two were toms and the third was a graceful looking dark tabby she-cat. The only difference between her and her father was her dark blue eyes.

Midnight had named them Storm, Frost and Rage. She knew that these kits would lead her gang of rogues to greatness. She wasn't about to let Darkstorm forget the promises he had broken. They had already taken over the Tribe Of Rushing Waters. Now it was time to take over the Clans.


	7. River Battle

**AN: Now you can see why this is rated T, and from here on it will continue being rated T. The battles aren't very descriptive, but if follows a major plot for the series of one-shots :)**

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Chapter 7: River Battle

The dark black she-cat stood near the edge of a stream, gazing at her reflection. So many moons of training her kits into fierce warriors had left her battle-scarred and wary. She had trained them into using their claws no matter what. None of her kits knew any other way. She had sent her kits into the Clans, one by one, to see how weak they truly were. After three moons of waiting, her kits had returned with news that the Clans were as weak as she had suspected.

Standing beside her was her son, Nightstorm. He had the same dark black fur as her, except for tabby-like markings along his flank. Nightstorm was one of her finest success stories. He was fierce, aggressive, and every way like herself. And he had turned the Clan against their leader, Littlestar. With the Tribe at her heel, Midnight raised her tail for the signal.

They were waiting near the camp's entrance, eager for the battle to begin. No cat in the Clan suspected the ambush she had set up.

Midnight suddenly raised her tail, and pelts moved among the bed of reeds. No cat would be left alive unless they were willing to join. She was saving ThunderClan for last. Darkstorm would pay for what he had done all those moons ago.

With a mighty yowl she launched herself into the center of RiverClan's camp. Cries of alarm sounded as more cats poured into the clearing, surrounding the Clan.

Nightstorm barreled into a creamy white tom, whose ears were torn from a previous battle. The black tom's claws swiped against the warrior's nose, drawling blood as they did so.

"Nightstorm, what are you doing?" a small ginger and white tom stood at the top of a large boulder that overlooked the clearing. Midnight's lips drew back in a snarl as she glared up at the small cat. She guessed that this was Littlestar. "I take you into the Clan and this is the thanks I get for it?"

Before Littlestar could continue, Nightstorm lunged forward. Midnight watched with satisfaction as he tackled Littlestar to the ground.

"The Clans are weak!" Nightstorm spat. "No cat, not even _you_, will stand in our way!"

Midnight flicked her tail in satisfaction as Nightstorm held Littlestar to the ground. She searched for her next victim: A tabby queen with two tiny kits nestled at her belly. She had been pulled out of the den by one of the Tribe cats.

"Kill her and take the kits," Midnight ordered as the Tribe cats approached the queen menacingly. Her eyes widened in horror when she realized what those words meant. "There are plenty of queens in the Tribe willing to take care of them," she added in a sneer.

She spun around to slice her claws across the face of a tortoiseshell she-cat. The tortoiseshell was already bleeding from another wound, and she stood little chance as Midnight lunged for her neck. The tortoiseshell fell to the ground. Her breathing grew ragged as she looked up at Midnight with pale amber eyes.

"Why are you doing this?" she rasped.

"Because the Clans deserve to die," Midnight growled. "Only a few will survive, and I will form one large Clan under my rule." The tortoiseshell's eyes flashed with anger when she glared at Midnight. Without warning Midnight raised a claw and sliced it across the tortoiseshell's throat, ending her life. "Now our names will be remembered forever," she hissed as the battle drew to an end.

Nightstorm had taken Littlestar's last life. The small ginger and white tom's body had been tossed into a pile amongst the other dead warriors. Only a medicine cat was left alive, and five kits that had been saved from their mothers.

The medicine cat was a pale gray tabby she-cat with yellow eyes. Her paws were a milky white color, but now they were stained in the blood of her Clanmates. She was crouched in the center of the clearing, her eyes hollow with grief.

"WindClan will fall next," Midnight announced as the Tribe gathered around her. "We strike tomorrow at night!"

All around her yowls of victory filled the air. Her claws unsheathed as the medicine cat was herded away from her slain Clanmates. This was only the beginning of the end for the Clans. Soon she would be the strongest cat beside the lake.

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**AN: So what did you think? Definitely darker than my usual writing...**


	8. Fierce Winds

**AN: Sorry it took me two months to get this up. I really felt like writing something so here it is, Fierce Winds.**

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Chapter 8: Fierce Winds

The scent of WindClan burned strongly within Midnight's lungs. Her eyes narrowed into tiny slits as her group of Tribe cats and the remaining RiverClan cats stood around her. Frostwing had joined WindClan in an attempt to win them over. So far her mission had been successful according to Nightstorm.

Midnight's ears pricked forward when she spotted the familiar silver pelt of her daughter.

Frostwing only acted aloof. She was intelligent and used her mind to create schemes with her siblings. Midnight used her daughter's intelligence to gain the trust of WindClan. Now it was time to destroy the leader and everything they knew.

"When?" A scrawny looking RiverClan apprentice leaned forward. His amber eyes were wide with excitement as he clawed at the ground. Nightstorm had won him over, and the two had become good friends. Midnight tried to remember the apprentice's name... it was Mudpaw.

"The Clan is asleep," Frostwing whispered when she approached the large group. "I made sure that I was on guard duty."

"Well done," Midnight purred warmly.

Now it was time to strike. Determination gleamed within Midnight's eyes as she led the large group across the rough terrain.

She never liked WindClan's territory. It was too open and vulnerable to attacks. That was why she had chosen to strike WindClan next. They never suspected that a group of rogues would ambush them in their own territory. Let alone one of their own attacking them.

Sure enough Frostwing was right. The Clan was fast asleep, minus a few curious kits that were peering outside. Fortunately their mothers had called them inside when a fierce wind picked up.

Midnight gave the signal with her tail, and suddenly the rogues came charging into the shallow scoop of land.

Cats cried out in surprise when they were dragged out of their nests. Midnight's eyes blazed with rage as she searched for the leader. Frostwing had described her as small but lethal in battle.

Midnight's ears flattened when she heard a screech of fury. She whirled around to see a small looking black she-cat with brown paws. The black cat's eyes were a piercing shade of blue. It was those eyes that sent chills down Midnight's spine.

But she shook off the unease and leapt forward, eager to get the battle done and over with before dawn.

The black she-cat was stronger than Midnight expected. She leaped easily to the side, dodging every blow Midnight struck.

Frustration swelled within Midnight's chest as she managed to pin the writhing she-cat to the ground. Midnight's teeth were bared in a snarl as she leaned forward.

"I am going to kill you, slowly and painfully," she sneered. "You are going to suffer before you die."

The black she-cat's eyes widened before she nipped at one of Midnight's paws. Midnight let out a yowl of anger before slamming her other paw into the she-cat's chest.

The WindClan leader let out a huff of surprise at the sudden impact. There was no chance of survival now. It was die and suffer, like Midnight had promised. Midnight slammed her unsheathed claws into the she-cat's throat.

Heartbeats seemed to go by slowly as the she-cat continued letting out sputtering coughs. Midnight could hear around her the sounds of cats wailing as their leader fell before them.

Cold amusement washed over Midnight as she saw the hatred in the leader's eyes. They were like chips of ice that faded when the she-cat drew her last breath. Midnight let out a scoff and kicked the fallen leader after jumping off with dust.

Midnight lifted her chin at her dark deed and realized that the battle was over already. Frostwing looked around with pride when she saw the malicious work she had completed.

"Why?" A small cat with pale gray paws, white fur and white ears crouched before the crowd of Tribe cats and warriors.

"Because the Clans are weak," Midnight spat. "One by one you will fall."

"No, we can't die out!" The she-cat let out a wail as she turned to flee. Nightstorm and Frostwing grabbed her by the scruff and tossed her back into the clearing before she got too far.

"Enough Breezetail," Frostwing snarled. "It's over."

Breezetail glared at Frostwing as coldly as she could. "We were friends, we trained together!" she screeched.

"We were never friends," Frostwing muttered.

Midnight rolled her eyes and stepped in between them.

"This is over," she growled. The remaining WindClan cats - there were five warriors total - stared at her blankly. She would let the queens live and have their kits raised in RiverClan's camp. "Get the queens away from here, and move out!"

"What do we do with Breezetail?" Frostwing meowed. "If she flees she will tell ThunderClan everything."

Midnight narrowed her eyes as she thought over what Frostwing had said. True, Breezetail could turn and run. And true, ThunderClan would retaliate.

"Take her hunting with Moss and Speck," she replied. "Those two will kill without hesitation."

Frostwing nodded in agreement and trotted over to Nightstorm's side. Nightstorm greeted her fondly as they returned to RiverClan's camp.

Pride surged through Midnight as she led the way back to RiverClan. Two down, and two to go. Things were heating up, and she would see what her son Talonclaw had been up to. And soon, Darkstorm would pay for what he had done.


	9. No Hope

**AN: Got this chapter typed up! And again, not my best writing. But I do love writing an a villain's point of view, so it was fun. Anyways, thanks everyone for your reviews! Hopefully the next update won't take as long.**

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Chapter 9: No Hope

The stench of ShadowClan lay heavily in the air. Midnight's eyes flashed across the territory as she steadied herself on a lean branch. It was leafbare now, and the Clans were weak from hunger. That would leave ShadowClan in a vulnerable position. According to her son, Talonclaw, ShadowClan's leader was already on his last life. Taking over the Clan would be easy.

Midnight licked the back of her paw as she waited for Nightstorm to make his report. He was her trusted spy. ShadowClan had trusted Nightstorm when he joined RiverClan. Their leader had hoped that he could become a spy for ShadowClan while he was in RiverClan. It would give the larger Clan a chance to strike back when they could. But now that Midnight had taken over, ShadowClan stood no chance. She stopped her grooming when she spotted a dark pelt moving through the undergrowth.

"You're late," she muttered crossly. It was close to sunhigh, when ShadowClan usually slept. They were more active at night, according to Talonclaw. Midnight had learned that they behaved more like rogues than Clan cats. "What did he tell you?"

"Most of them are asleep," Nightstorm replied with a dip of his head. He gazed at the large group of cats she brought with her. They were hiding in the undergrowth, but he picked up their scent before he reached his mother. "Talonclaw's friend Blazeflight is on guard duty." He looked over his shoulder as if to make sure no cat had followed him.

Midnight's eyes narrowed into tiny slits. There was no room for friendship in her heart. She didn't understand what it meant to defend your friends, and she could care less about them. What mattered to her was getting revenge on Darkstorm for what he had done to her.

"Good, let's make this quick," she growled angrily. She jumped off of the branch and gave a flick of her tail.

The others had read the signal, and slowly they rose to their paws. She grimaced when they wandered into ShadowClan's territory. It was covered in marshes. Midnight wondered why any cat would want to live in such conditions. Then she remembered the streams and rivers that ran along RiverClan's territory. Two groups of cats who enjoyed the same territory... it didn't seem right.

Nonetheless Midnight went on. Nightstorm was on one side of her flank, while Frostwing was on the other. Frostwing's eyes were narrowed as she kept her gaze focused on the path ahead. She was determined to show just how skilled she was in the heat of battle. When the time came she would produce fine kits, and Midnight would make sure that she did.

Pine needles crunched under their paws as they went deeper into the forest. There was no undergrowth for them to hide under. Midnight's ears flattened when she heard the distant chirping of crickets. If it were night out she would have heard owls hooting. With no undergrowth to hide in, they were vulnerable from any attacks above.

Nightstorm stopped when they reached what Midnight guessed was the center of Clan territory. Midnight's ears flicked with curiosity as she watched his claws flick across the trunk of a birch tree. He did so three times before the ferns nearby began to rustle. A dark gray head peered through the ferns, and Midnight's fur bristled with alarm. It didn't flatten until she recognized the pale yellow eyes of Talonclaw.

"Mother, it is good to see you again," he purred with a dip of his head.

"Talonclaw, I hope all has gone well," Midnight whispered. She knew the camp was nearby. Cats would hear them and raise the alarm. They wouldn't have a chance to flee if the ShadowClan cats found them.

"Everything is going according to plan," he replied. "I have my own apprentice. Needlestar was foolish enough to give me one. And I have a few followers who believe he isn't fit to lead."

_Good, that means this takeover won't be so difficult_, Midnight thought. WindClan had been a bit more difficult to handle. Their leader, Harestar, had many loyal supporters. Breezetail was being kept in a small den that was guarded by Hawk and Thorn, two Tribe cats. The few cats that had supported Harestar had been killed in front of those who had doubts. Now they were fighting alongside Midnight and her followers.

Her claws unsheathed as she followed Talonclaw deeper into the territory. ShadowClan's camp must have been heavily guarded by what Talonclaw had explained.

It didn't take them long to reach the camp. Talonclaw's tail whipped from side to side as he stood beside Nightstorm. Frostwing leaned forward, whiskers trembling with anxiety. The cats around them were battle hungry and ready for war. Midnight bared her teeth in a grin as she watched Talonclaw move forward.

"I don't see why we need to go out on our own." Midnight froze when she heard a cat muttering. "This patrol is pointless."

"You heard what Featherfall said," another cat hissed. "She saw what happened to RiverClan, and it could happen to us next!"

Midnight's eyes widened in alarm when she realized what this meant. A ShadowClan cat had seen what she had done to RiverClan.

"Featherfall is ShadowClan's medicine cat!" Talonclaw hissed. His voice was still a whisper, but Midnight nearly slashed her claws across his face. He would give away their position!

She breathed out a sigh of relief when she realized that the two ShadowClan cats did not hear. A dark brown tabby with ginger patches peered around the base of an ancient looking oak tree. Midnight's ears pricked forward when she noticed how long his unsheathed claws were.

_Needlestar_, she thought gleefully.

With a simple flick of her tail, the group of cats behind her made their move. Needlestar's head raised in panic when he realized what was happening. Once the ShadowClan leader was taken down, no cat would stand in her way.

Midnight leaped onto the ShadowClan leader with unsheathed claws. She turned to see that Nightstorm and Frostwing had already pinned down his companion, a dappled tortoiseshell. Amusement gleamed within Midnight's eyes when she saw that the she-cat was putting up an ill-fated fight.

"Surrender now, pathetic mousebrain!" Nightstorm snarled as the she-cat swiped her claws in the air.

Midnight rolled her eyes and bared her teeth at Needlestar, whose eyes were wide with panic as he stared at her.

"I'm going to let you live, if you agree with my conditions," she sneered. Needlestar's ears flattened with anger.

"Why should I believe any lie you spit out?" he demanded coldly.

"Your friend over there will be killed if you do not listen," Midnight replied. She placed a paw over his neck, and the ShadowClan leader let out a choking cough. His Clanmate's eyes were wide with fear when she realized what was going to happen. "I know you have one life left, I am going to spare you," she added calmly.

Needlestar continued choking, but he realized that he had no other choice. His mate, the cat that he cared for most, would be killed if he didn't listen. He glanced at her anxiously before managing a nod. Midnight grinned when she looked down at him.

"Take this runt and his mate away," she snarled to her group. Stormcloud and Bird glanced at her before nodding.

Nightstorm and Mudpaw followed them to ensure that the pair didn't get away.

Midnight nodded firmly and led her group into the heart of ShadowClan's camp. Talonclaw and Frostwing stood beside her as she heard shrill cries of alarm. Her tail lashed from side to side when she spotted a large group of cats standing near a tunneled entrance.

"Which of you is the deputy?" she demanded.

"Traitor!" Midnight's nose wrinkled in disgust when a black and white tom sprang to his paws. His pelt was standing on end as cats parted away from him. "I always knew that there wasn't something right about you!" His eyes fell upon Talonclaw, who didn't flinch.

"The Clans were always going to fall!" Midnight snarled. She glared at the black and white tom. She assumed that he was the deputy.

Most of the ShadowClan cats were exchanging anxious looks. Midnight noticed how much further away they were from the black and white tom. His amber eyes gleamed with hate as he studied the large group of cats facing him.

"Swiftbreeze, you were always a cowardly fool," Talonclaw hissed. "I am following in my mother's pawsteps."

"Stand down mousebrain, or your life will be taken just like Needlestar's was," Midnight growled.

She locked gazes with Swiftbreeze, whose eyes went rigid with fear. If Midnight didn't know any better, she would have thought that he didn't believe her.

"No!" Swiftbreeze spat.

Without warning he lunged forward. Midnight lowered her muzzle as if to submit. Swiftbreeze was ready to barrel into her when a dappled ginger cat knocked him aside. The black and white tom was sent flying across the clearing. He let out a startled yelp when a dark gray tom and the dappled ginger she-cat advanced on him.

"What are you doing?" he demanded when the dappled ginger she-cat's teeth were bared.

"We follow Midnight now," she sneered in a cold voice. "You don't deserve to live."

Swiftbreeze's eyes widened in horror when the two pounced. Midnight watched as the other warriors grimaced at the sight of their deputy getting murdered. She searched for the nursery until she spotted a tabby head peering out of a small den. A wail of sorrow followed after the tabby had disappeared.

The Clan was shocked into silence as they watched their deputy die. No cat made a move to fight back. Their leader had supposedly been killed, and their deputy was now dead. There was no hope for the Clans. No hope at all.

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**AN: Oh yeah, things are finally heating up. The final clash between Midnight and Darkstorm begins next chapter, but as usually you'll have to wait!**


	10. Fall Of The Clans

**AN: I was bored, so I decided to write this. Yep, this chapter is the finale to Midnight's takeover. Next few chapters will be slow-moving, but you'll see where they lead. Thanks everyone for your reviews, they're always appreciated :)**

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Chapter 10: Fall Of The Clans

Pure glee gleamed within Midnight's eyes as she studied the cats gathered around her. Her group was getting larger and larger now. The deputy of ShadowClan had stepped down from his position after the brutal display she had shown his old Clan. And now she had gathered what was left of the three Clans, mixed with the rogues and Tribe cats, to strike ThunderClan at the heart.

_That fool of a cat will die just as his friends have_, Midnight told herself.

"Does everyone know the plan?" She looked down at her three kits; Frostwing, Nightstorm and Talonclaw. Their eyes gleamed with malice at the thought of taking down the final Clan in that stood in their way.

"Nightstorm will kill Flamestar, I will kill the deputy," Frostwing explained. "And Talonclaw will take down anyone who opposes us."

She glanced at the pale tabby form of her brother. Talonclaw dipped his head in understanding, while Nightstorm's tail lashed from side to side.

Midnight's ears pricked forward with interest as she watched her daughter. Frostwing was beautiful in every way possible. Her glossy white fur gleamed in the darkness, but there was red stained in her paws. Her intelligence was masked by her beauty, and that was what Midnight enjoyed the most about her.

It was time for the battle to take place. Midnight felt her fur bristle with anticipation. Nightstorm was leading the first party. She would lead the final battle front. But she would keep a close eye on the battle itself, ensuring that her band of rogues won the fight.

Nightstorm stalked through the forest carefully as he led his band of cats. The warriors Midnight had chosen were eager to kill. They were former warriors that had once been loyal to their Clan alone. But Midnight and her kits had won them and their loyalty over. She grinned at the thought as she wondered how appalled their ancestors would be.

_Like they even exist_, she retorted silently._ StarClan is nothing more than a lie made up to scare the cats into obedience_.

The black she-cat jumped from branch to branch after climbing the nearest tree she could find. Her own group followed from underneath, keeping low to the ground. ThunderClan's camp was located in a hollow, and anyone stuck inside would be trapped.

"Intruders!" Midnight's tail lashed when she heard a yowl of alarm sound. She stood still as she watched the fight from down below.

Nightstorm had spotted Flamestar, an old looking dark ginger cat with several battle scars. Midnight's lips drew in a snarl when she recognized Darkstorm.

His pelt stood out against the mass of battling cats. Midnight's claws dug into the branch as she felt pure anger build within. Darkstorm was watching from the corner of the hollow, eyes wide with horror. He realized too late where this was headed.

Midnight managed to scramble down the branch just as Frostwing sent the second wave. Amusement coursed through her as the elders and senior warriors tried in vein to escape. Frostwing ruthlessly tossed aside any elder that stood in her way. Frostwing found what she was looking for - a skinny dappled brown she-cat with patches of fur missing.

Though she was horrid to look at, this was ThunderClan's deputy. Patchfur, ironically, was her name. Midnight remembered Darkstorm mentioning how skilled Patchfur was in battle. But as Frostwing managed to pin the deputy to the ground, Midnight wondered where her skills went, or if Darkstorm had lied.

"You!" Midnight felt satisfaction ripple through her when Darkstorm stared at her in disbelief. "How could you do this?"

"The next time I see you near the lake I _will flay_ _you_!" Midnight spat the words he had told her all those moons ago. Darkstorm flinched as she glowered at him. "I've gotten stronger since our last meeting, and now it is I who will _flay you_!"

Without warning she sprang forward, giving Darkstorm little time to react. Her claws collided into his chest, and the stench of blood filled her lungs. Within heartbeats Midnight could feel his breathing getting weaker. Her claws had met their mark.

"Murderer!" Midnight didn't cringe when she heard the wail. She turned to see a pretty looking tabby she-cat with amber eyes glaring at her. "How could you?"

"He was nothing more than a traitorous coward," Midnight snarled. She jumped off of the body and approached the tabby. She assumed that this was Dawnfeather, the she-cat he had mentioned on their last meeting. "He secretly met with me, and I taught him fighting skills not even _you_ would want to know about."

"No, y-you're lying," Dawnfeather whispered. Her voice was stiff with shock as she looked down at the ground. "Darkstorm cares about me... he would never-" Midnight cut her off with a sneer.

"Do you really believe those pack of lies?"

Dawnfeather looked at her finally, eyes narrowing into tiny slits.

"He loved me once as well," Midnight hissed. "He once told me that I we would rule the lake together. And he betrayed me by falling in love with a fool like you!"

This time Dawnfeather flinched.

"I... I never knew," she murmured. By now the fighting had died down. Midnight looked up to see that Nightstorm and Talonclaw had succeeded in their plans.

"And now you will be joining them." Midnight's tail flicked as Mudpaw lunged forward. Dawnfeather let out a cry of shock when he knocked her aside. Within heartbeats Nightstorm had his claws across her throat.

The tabby let out a scream when Nightstorm's claw ended her life. The surviving cats were huddled together in a small group, staring in horror as their Clanmate was killed in front of them. Midnight grinned when she spotted the kits they had torn out of the nursery. They were kept in a separate group. And two kits looked very similar to their father in appearance.

"Mamma!" one of the kits cried. Leafclaw, one of the warriors from ShadowClan, slapped a tail across them to keep them from getting away.

"She is not your mother," meowed Midnight as she strolled across the clearing. "And as for the life of the Clans, we will form one stronger Clan, united under me!" She rose her voice so that everyone could hear. "My word is law, and no cat will argue against it." Her eyes flashed with anger as she went on, "and any cat who questions it will be killed."

The surviving cats stared at Midnight in defeat. They had no choice. Those who were not loyal would be killed by her followers, or worse. Midnight watched in satisfaction as they bowed their heads under her rule. Now no cat would fight her. And MidnightClan would rule the lake forever more.


	11. Flee the Shadows

**AN: Here's another chapter following the devastation of Midnight's battles. There will probably be a few more chapters like this and I'll be going back to the regular update schedule. Thanks everyone for reviewing, and enjoy!**

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Chapter 11: Flee the Shadows

Darkness fell over the Clans when Midnight took over.

The Clans were in a state of chaos as her three kits watched over them. Talonclaw and Nightstorm were constantly watching for any signs of rebellion. Anyone who tried to flee were killed in a heartbeat. Fleeing was a show of weakness according to Midnight.

And soon the Clans were beginning to think that way.

Lightpaw sighed in frustration as she nudged the scrawny looking mouse. She should have become a warrior moons ago. But Midnight refused to hold warrior or apprentice ceremonies. She claimed that it was a sign of weakness to the Clan.

It didn't help that Lightpaw kept receiving scornful looks when she returned empty-pawed from hunting. The forest used to be alive with life, but now there was little prey in the area. It seemed as though the prey knew something had gone wrong in the Clans now that they were combined.

"Thinking about it isn't going to help," she told herself. "Maybe I can give myself my own warrior name. They won't notice."

She looked around warily, hoping no one heard that. Fortunately they were so focused on Midnight's plan to take over Twolegplace that they didn't notice.

_The Clan is beginning to act like a bunch of rogues_, she thought angrily. _How can they let her get away with this_?

Lightpaw felt her stomach clench with pity when she saw the Clan's youngest members watching with fascination in their eyes. Twigkit, Lilackit and Poppykit were watching with their mother close by. Mosskit and Pebblekit were also peering forward to see what was going on.

"I can't take this anymore," Lightpaw muttered as she stood up and tossed aside the scrawny mouse.

She wasn't hungry anymore. Not after remembering what the Clans had suffered after Midnight took over.

"Where are you going?" Lightpaw cringed when she recognized Crowpaw's angry voice.

"I'm going hunting," she replied.

Crowpaw stared at her for a few heartbeats before shaking his head. "You better come back with fresh-kill," he sneered. "Remember what happened last time."

Lightpaw resisted the urge to roll her eyes when he stalked away. Crowpaw was an annoying furball who needed his ears clawed off. Always telling the other apprentices what to do even though they were the same age.

The light brown tabby she-cat padded out of WindClan's old camp, eager to get away from everyone else. Since Midnight had taken over, the medicine cats were cast out due to their belief in StarClan. She remembered what the Clans had thought when this happened.

She bounded up the slopes until she recognized the sound of the stream that led to the Moonpool. She had a feeling that was where the medicine cats were hiding since they were banished from the Clans. A sense of unease crawled through her when she wondered what they would do after noticing her arrival.

Dusk was beginning to settle over the forest by the time Lightpaw reached the Moonpool. Her amber eyes glowed in the darkness as stars began to appear.

"Who goes there?" Lightpaw froze when she heard a snarl erupt from the shadows.

A dark gray head peered through the bushes. Lightpaw's fur bristled slightly when she recognized Floodpelt. The dark gray tom was RiverClan's medicine cat. His apprentice had been killed in the battle when Midnight took over the Clans.

"An apprentice?" A second head poked out of the bushes, and Lightpaw felt hope flare within her when she recognized Silkfeather, ShadowClan's medicine cat. The creamy brown she-cat's blue eyes gleamed with surprise when she recognized Lightpaw. "Lightpaw, what are you doing here?" she demanded. Her voice was cold, and Lightpaw suddenly understood why.

_I stood by while they were cast out_, she thought.

"I led no one to the Moonpool," she explained after coughing uncomfortably. "I... I was hoping I could receive my warrior name by speaking to StarClan."

She looked down at her paws when she realized how selfish she sounded. Silkfeather exchanged a startled look with Floodpelt. Heartbeats seemed to pass before they were joined by Ashflower and Sagethorn. Ashflower had dark ginger fur, while Sagethorn was white with a single brown paw.

"We shouldn't trust her!" Sagethorn spat. His tail was fluffed up as he glared at Lightpaw. Lightpaw looked down at the ground, ears flattening submissively.

"Sagethorn, she is telling the truth," Silkfeather purred. "I know Lightpaw well enough."

The white tom snorted in annoyance and looked away. Lightpaw looked at her medicine cat hopefully.

"So Midnight's not letting apprentices become warriors, eh?" Ashflower asked.

"No, she's awful!" Lightpaw spat. "She's forcing the apprentices to give all of their fresh-kill to her and her kin. And she's killed the elders because she thinks they're weak!"

Floodpelt's eyes widened in horror when he realized just how dangerous Midnight was. Lightpaw winced as she remembered watching the elders being pulled out of the crowd. To her horror she had been in the front to watch Midnight's followers slaughter the elders on the spot.

"So what do we do now?" Floodpelt looked at his fellow medicine cats curiously.

"We must form a plan," Silkfeather rasped. "But first, it is time you spoke with StarClan. Perhaps our ancestors have an idea as to what we can do."

"Really?" Lightpaw's ears pricked forward.

Silkfeather nodded and flicked her tail to the others. "Let's go," she meowed.

The other medicine cats rose to their paws and led the way down the slope. Lightpaw's eyes gleamed with wonder when she looked down at the Moonpool. It was in a hollow where the water gathered and formed into a small pool.

"Take a drink of the water, and StarClan will guide you through the rest," Silkfeather whispered.

Lightpaw looked at her warily before doing as she was told. A shiver ran down her spine, and Lightpaw found her body slumping to the ground heartbeats later. StarClan was calling to her, and she hoped and prayed they would have answers to their problems.


	12. Midnight Falls

**AN: Yay I finally got this updated! So this is the end of the Midnight story, and I will continue writing one-shots whether or not I feel like it. Hopefully the next update will be just as quick next time :)**

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Chapter 12: Midnight Falls

My name is Blossomkit. I was once part of the Clan known as MidnightClan. Midnight was a ruthless cat who fought anyone that stood in her way. Her kits grew up to be just like her.

I was killed soon after she took over the Clans. I can still remember mommy telling me it would be alright. But the more aggressive the Clan got, the more I realized that she was wrong. Adderkit and Rosekit were killed a few days after I was killed.

Days later Lightpaw had fled from the Clans after Midnight refused to give her a warrior name. She would have been a warrior of ShadowClan had Midnight not arrived.

I knew that Lightpaw was different from the other warriors and rogues Midnight had gathered. She wanted nothing to do with MidnightClan. She wanted Midnight and her rogues gone. But the only way to do that was through communication by StarClan.

Eventually we were able to communicate with Lightpaw through the help of the medicine cats. Lightpaw soon became Lightstar after we decided she needed nine lives. Lightstar was so surprised when we gave her nine lives. I can still remember the look of shock on her face.

When Lightstar became leader she rallied up the few warriors that were still against Midnight and her kin. Even Nightstorm, Midnight's own son, had decided to join Lightstar's side. I knew that they had the makings of a good couple.

The battle against MidnightClan and LightClan were fierce. All I could do was watch from the sidelines as countless lives were lost. Innocent cats who were twisted into dangerous creatures had died that night. Midnight had turned the Clans into a band of rogues that were too bloodthirsty for their own good.

I watched on as Talonclaw and Frostwing were killed during the battle. Eventually Lightstar had Midnight cornered in ThunderClan's old camp. Midnight had called for her son, Nightstorm, who was the only survivor of her three kits. In the end, Nightstorm had betrayed his own mother by throwing her off of the ledge and into the hollow.

Midnight was dead, and the battle had finally come to an end. The rogues that were once Tribe cats returned to their mountain home. Lightstar made sure they remembered who they were, and that they stayed in the mountains.

Lightstar decided that since there were so few survivors after the battle, the Clan would stay as one. But she changed the Clan's name to LightClan, to keep away the darkness Midnight had drowned them in. Any cat that followed Midnight was exiled or killed out of fear. No one wanted this to happen again.

I tell this story to anyone willing to listen. Midnight resides in the Dark Forest now, and even now I can hear her screams of agony as she falls into the hollow. Remember what I told you about Midnight - forbidden secrets will always lead to devastation. And one bad secret could lead to what had happened to LightClan.


	13. Frozen

**AN: Don't know why these chapters have been so angsty lately, but whatever. Here's the next chapter, Frozen! Thanks everyone for your reviews, they're greatly appreciated! And know, this Frozenpaw has nothing to do with the Frozenpaw in my Strongest Storm series.**

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Chapter 13: Frozen

Icicles dangled from the branches of trees, and a cold breeze picked up through the forest. It was leafbare, and everything felt colder than ever. Including Frozenpaw.

She had a difficult time following the orders of her mentor, Darkfire. He was careless and often gave her rude remarks to her training. Frozenpaw knew that she could do better if she had a better mentor. Darkfire just thought she was useless.

Her claws dug into the snow-covered ground as she thought of what she had to do. Her latest assignment was to find any scents that shouldn't be there. Like that was going to happen - most likely Darkfire was waiting for her to freeze to death in this StarClan forsaken forest.

"Would've been nice if he told me where to look for these scents," she muttered under her breath.

_He_ was back in camp, under the warm protection of his Clanmates. _She_ was left out in the cold to suffer until she fulfilled his demands.

Finally, after what felt like moons, Frozenpaw decided to give up. There was no point in searching for something that wasn't there. Darkfire was only making her do this because she had failed in a battle training exercise.

With a sigh of frustration, Frozenpaw returned to ThunderClan's camp to find that most of the Clan was huddled in a clearing. Darkfire whipped around when he noticed her arrival. She was standing in front of the gorse tunnel entrance, tail between her legs when he towered above her.

"Why are you back?" he demanded in a low snarl.

"No one is mousebrained enough to trespass in this kind of weather," Frozenpaw snapped.

"Get back out there now!" Darkfire's claws had unsheathed, and Frozenpaw took a fearful step back.

Why wasn't the Clan here to help? She strained to see that they were still huddled up against the cold wind.

Suddenly her lips formed in the beginnings of a snarl. Pure anger coursed through Frozenpaw as he glared at the startled Darkfire. His dark brown fur began to bristle when her claws unsheathed.

"I'm tired of taking orders from a heartless warrior like you," she snarled. The venom in her voice made her blink in surprise, but she held it back. "I'm doing things _my_ way from now on!"

"You always were a weak fool," Darkfire hissed.

Without warning he raised his claws, but Frozenpaw dodged to the side just as he was about to slam them down on her face. Malice showed on Frozenpaw's face as she lunged forward. She was about to show Darkfire just how strong she _really_ was.

Her eyes narrowed into tiny slits when Frozenpaw managed to pin her mentor to the ground. Darkfire let out a yowl of pain when her claws sliced down his throat, but by the time the Clan reacted, it was too late. Frozenpaw was glaring down at the body when she realized what she had done.

"Frozenpaw, what have you done?" She flinched when she recognized her mother's voice. Willowbreeze was looking at her in disbelief, while her brother, Graypaw, looked like he barely recognized her.

"I... I..." Frozenpaw was beginning to tremble when the weight of guilt crashed down on her.

"You killed your own mentor!" Leafcloud, Darkfire's mate, screeched. Her voice was filled with horror when she looked at her now dead mate.

"H-he was threatening my life," Frozenpaw rasped. Her voice cracked when she realized how lame that sounded.

"I believe it is the other way around," Morningstar meowed when she stepped forward. "Frozenpaw, what you have done is unforgivable. You must leave the Clan now, before my punishment is worse." Her green eyes were blazing with anger when she looked down at the trembling Frozenpaw.

The silver tabby apprentice barely heard her leader through the angry voices that were echoing in her mind. She wanted to yowl that Darkfire had deserved to die, that he was treating her like a pile of foxdung. But the Clan would never believe her.

Darkfire was the bravest and strongest cat in the Clan, and she just killed him. Who would believe that a scrawny little apprentice managed to kill her mentor?

Frozenpaw hung her head as she turned her back on her so called 'Clanmates'. They were nothing but a bunch of cowards too. She had a feeling that they would have listened had Darkfire not kept a close eye on them all.

Her movement was slow and steady as she padded through the gorse tunnel. Leafbare was still in full swing, and she knew that she would never survive on her own. With her back on the Clan, she would struggle through the seasons to come as a rogue.

The sound of pawsteps crunching on snow made Frozenpaw whirl around. Her eyes widened when she recognized Robinpaw, the Clan's medicine cat apprentice. His ginger-brown fur was fluffed up against the cold wind, but his eyes gleamed with determination when he looked at her.

"What are you doing here?" she spat.

"I wanted to give you these before you left," he replied when he passed her a bundle of leaves. Frozenpaw gave the bitter-smelling herbs a disdainful sniff. "I know that there's a real reason behind Darkfire's death," he added when she continued glaring.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Frozenpaw's fur was still bristling as she glared at the medicine cat apprentice.

"I mean that I've been watching Darkfire for some time," Robinpaw explained. He seemed unnerved by her anger, and Frozenpaw calmed down a bit when she realized that Darkfire was his father. "He was ambitious, and always looking for power. You did the Clan a favor by killing him."

Frozenpaw looked into Robinpaw's amber eyes and saw the truth in them. There was hope in his eyes, hope for a better future. For the first time since her attack on Darkfire, Frozenpaw felt as though she had actually achieved something.

"The herbs won't last long, but they should keep your hunger at bay for a couple of days," Robinpaw meowed. "Be safe, and remember to keep your head high."

With those final words, the brown and ginger apprentice bounded back towards the camp, leaving Frozenpaw standing there in shock.

_Maybe my heart isn't as frozen as I thought_, she realized.

She would remember Robinpaw's words for moons to come after that. Darkfire did indeed reside in the Dark Forest now. While she had died a few seasons later, and moved peacefully to StarClan. Robinpaw was right to say that her heart wasn't frozen all those moons ago.

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**AN: So yeah, it did have a happy ending after all. Darkfire got what he deserved and Frozenpaw got what she deserved. Maybe the next chapter won't be so sad :P Not making any promises though!**


	14. Life is Better

**AN: So this is a very short poem. I think you already know who is speaking just by scrolling down. Thanks everyone for your reviews, they're greatly appreciated!**

Chapter 14: Life is Better

Life is better now that he is gone. I knew in my heart that he would always love me, even though I didn't love him.

I'm sorry that I broke his heart, and I am sorry that we went as far as we did. Nothing hurt more than seeing the hate in your eyes as you threatened the kits that were not mine. You wanted them gone because you thought it would hurt me.

Yes I would feel pain that my sisters kits were gone. Yes I would know what it was like to lose the ones I loved with all my heart. But your pain caused more hurt than anything else.

Ashfur, I am sorry for what I did to you. I used you in ways I wish I had never known about. And because of me your life ended in misery.

I know that your life is better now. You aren't suffering the way you had for moons after we stopped seeing each other.

I only hope that in time you will forgive me, as I have forgiven you. Life is better now that the Dark Forest was defeated. I know that you are in StarClan, happy and with your sister Ferncloud.

Please hear my desperate prayer as I sleep tonight. I want you to have a better life now. And I want you to forgive me for what I did to you.


	15. The Real World

**AN: This chapter kind of came to me while listening to the song by Owl City. It's a little sad, but happy at the same time if you can catch it. Thanks everyone for your reviews in the previous chapter, they are much appreciated! And enjoy this chapter :D**

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Chapter 15: The Real World

"Can we please go out now?" Pinekit stared at his mother, desperation written in his blue eyes.

He was three moons old now. He was almost an apprentice, and he wanted to show his Clanmates just how strong he really was. But his mother was so afraid she would lose him. She had lost her last litter to greencough many moons ago. The event had traumatized her from the start, and Pinekit and his brother Woodkit were the last kits she would ever have.

"I don't know," Cloudpool murmured. "It's getting late, and your fur was just groomed." She looked down at Pinekit fearfully.

With a roll of his eyes, Pinekit let out a _mrrow_ of frustration.

"Mother, let me go! I'm going to be an apprentice sooner or later!" he hissed.

"Cloudpool, just let him go," Whitepetal, one of the younger nursing queens, meowed. At her belly squirmed three tiny kits - Littlekit, Brightkit and Wispkit. They had only been born a few days ago, and already they were receiving all of the attention they could get. "He's going to pester us if you don't let him go now," she added.

Cloudpool looked at her son and let out a sigh. Woodkit was busy grooming himself when she finally said they could go out. His eyes widened in amazement when she said not to wander too far from the nursery, but Woodkit bounced to his paws nonetheless.

Without another word Pinekit bounded out of the nursery, eager to see the outside world. From what Bramblepaw and Thornpaw had told him, it was amazing. The forest was huge and it was full of prey. Pinekit could remember hearing the elders complaining about not having enough to eat though. Maybe Bramblepaw was lying than.

Excitement coursed through Pinekit when he bounded into the clearing. Woodkit was close behind him, eyes wide with wonder when they saw the camp's wall surrounding them.

ThunderClan lived in a hollow that was dug out by Twolegs seasons upon seasons ago. Pinekit remembered hearing Whistlewind telling them that sometimes Twolegs would stop by during greenleaf. He wished he knew what season it was now.

"Camp is _huge_," Woodkit exclaimed.

"I never thought it would be this big," Pinekit added.

"The hollow is nothing compared to the forest." Pinekit's whiskers twitched when he recognized their father's voice. He gave a small bounce when Stormpelt approached them. "The forest is large and full of prey, even during leafbare," he added when he saw the wonder in his kits' eyes.

"Mother finally let us out of the nursery!" Woodkit nearly yowled. He rammed into Stormpelt's legs and tried nipping at them.

"I can see that," Stormpelt meowed. "Where is Cloudpool?" His voice became concerned, and Pinekit tilted his head to one side curiously.

Cloudpool would never recover from losing her kits the way she did. Gorseleaf had told them that. He could still remember the desperation in Cloudpool's voice as she tried to save Littlekit from death. Her efforts had ended in vein, leaving a tiny body to be buried.

"She's still in the nursery," Pinekit mewed.

Stormpelt let out a sigh before looking down at his sons.

"Why don't I show you a battle move," he suggested. "You will know how to defend yourselves."

"They will do no such things!" Pinekit stiffened when Cloudpool spoke up from behind. He whirled around to see her standing outside the nursery's entrance. "They are only kits!"

"Kits need to learn how to defend themselves," Stormpelt retorted.

Pinekit's ears flattened when he realized that the Clan was watching the argument. Redstripe was sitting beside Blossomtail and Shadefur while Stormpelt argued with Cloudpool. All four of them were staring at the family in surprise.

"I don't care what you say, I won't watch them die in the real world," Cloudpool spat. Her tail was bristling as it lashed across the sandy ground.

"They are not going to die," Stormpelt murmured. He was about to place a tail on her shoulder when Cloudpool shook him off.

"You don't even care, do you?" she hissed. "You never showed any interest in your kits!"

The sudden rage in her voice caught everyone off guard. Pinekit looked at his mother in alarm. Cloudpool took another step back before returning to the nursery, pelt still bristling. An awkward silence filled the hollow heartbeats later.

"I'm sorry Stormpelt, there is nothing I can do to change her mind," Gorseleaf rasped when she approached them. "She is suffering from depression... the best thing to do is to keep her calm."

"What about the kits? They shouldn't have to suffer from this," Stormpelt hissed.

_Why is this happening_? Pinekit wondered. He remembered what Cloudpool said about this being the real world. Something told him that this was just the beginning of hardship. Pinekit suddenly understood that this was the real world. And he'd have to grow up quickly to survive.

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**AN: So yeah, Cloudpool kind of went crazy towards the end. I'd go into further detail, but that would become too depressing if I did. This was the best way to end it. Please let me know what you thought of this!**


	16. True Love Never Dies

**AN: This was probably the longest one-shot I've ever written. And I'm quite proud of it. Thanks everyone for your review, and enjoy!**

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Chapter 16: True Love Never Dies

Sagekit sighed as she watched the older apprentices playing in ShadowClan's camp. Wildpaw, Vinepaw, and Thornpaw were the latest additions to the apprentice's den. She still had a whole moon to go before she joined them.

And they never seemed to let her forget that.

Wildpaw was pouncing on Thornpaw's tail when Vinepaw asked if they should show the kits a new fighting move. Wildpaw and Thornpaw simply laughed at him as if he'd just told them a joke.

He looked at Sagekit sadly before shaking his head in annoyance. His brothers had always been mousebrains anyways. Sagekit knew that from the moment her eyes had opened. Vinepaw seemed like he was the only one who had sense in his mind.

"Hi Sagekit, how are you doing today?" He managed to get past his brother's playful spirits. Sagekit's ears pricked forward when Brushkit and Leapkit bounded forward. Their mother, Bluefire, pulled them back when she noticed that it was just an apprentice speaking.

"I'm bored," she muttered in response. "I wish I was an apprentice now, but Dapplestar won't let me become one!"

"Being a kit isn't so bad," Vinepaw meowed. "In fact, I kind of miss getting to eat whenever I want, and sleep whenever I feel like it."

Sagekit tilted her head to one side when she realized that he was right. She never put much thought into what it was like being an apprentice. They had to clean out the elder's den and hunt for the elders as well. And they still had regular apprentice duties on top of that.

"I guess it really isn't that bad," she mewed.

Vinepaw let out a purr before he was called over by his mentor. He waved his tail goodbye as he bounded after Rustpelt.

That was the first time Sagekit had really noticed Vinepaw. He was different from his brothers and the rest of the Clan. And from than on, their relationship grew.

. . .

"Good catch Sagepaw!" The silvery gray apprentice beamed with pride when Vinetail called her name. He'd just become a warrior while she was still an apprentice.

Though they were a few moons apart they seemed inseparable. Sagepaw spent as much of her free time with Vinetail as she could. When she wasn't training he would show her the fighting moves he'd picked up. In battles against ThunderClan they would fight together as one.

Sagepaw knew that he was part of her future. She couldn't let go of the fact that he was older than her though. And everyone seemed to remind her of that.

"Sagepaw, come on over, we're going back." Rosethorn was her mentor. The ginger and white she-cat was waiting impatiently by the bushes near the sycamore grove.

"I was just showing Vinetail a good hunting spot," she muttered after dropping the frog she had caught. Rosethorn rolled her eyes and picked the frog up, helping the smaller cat.

"Look, I know that you're young and in love, but would you drop the act already? It's getting old," she muttered.

A hiss of frustration escaped from Sagepaw's lungs as she followed Rosethorn back to camp. Rosethorn had always been grumpy around younger cats. But Sagepaw was determined to go through life with Vinetail at her side, and no cat would stop her with harsh words.

_It doesn't matter what they think_, she reminded herself. _Vinetail knows how I feel_, _and I know how he feels_. _That's all that matters_.

. . .

"By the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Sagepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Sageflight. StarClan honors you for your spirit and courage, and we welcome you as a full member of ShadowClan."

A purr rose in Sageflight's throat as the Clan cheered her name. Vinetail's was especially loudest. Dapplestar stood atop the Mudpile, her eyes bright with warmth as she looked at the Clan's newest warrior. ShadowClan was strong now thanks to Sageflight.

"Congratulations," Vinetail purred when he approached her.

Blackfeather and Nightclaw had already stopped by to visit her before leaving the camp. She rarely spent much time with her parents nowadays.

"Thanks," she managed to say after ducking her head in embarrassment. "We can finally be together now that I'm a warrior."

Unease suddenly clouded Vinetail's eyes. Sageflight was about to ask what was wrong when she spotted Jaystorm sitting in the corner of camp. The gray and white medicine cat was always watching them carefully, and again she rolled her eyes at him.

_Cryptic as always_, she decided.

"I need to sit vigil," she added after an uncomfortable silence fell upon them.

Vinetail nodded and joined his brothers who were sitting nearby. Sageflight was about to take her place when Jaystorm approached her. She stiffened when the medicine cat asked if they could speak in private. When she looked at Vinetail, the unease returned in his gaze.

"What's going on?" she demanded when she was led into Jaystorm's den.

"There is something I must tell you, before it is too late," the old tom rasped. Sageflight's ears flattened when she realized how serious his tone was. "On the night you were born, I received a prophecy... or a warning. I'm not sure how to interpret it exactly."

Sageflight felt her stomach lurch with unease. Somehow that didn't make her feel any better. A prophecy that was about her, on the night she was born. She wondered if her mother knew anything about it, or if Jaystorm had kept this to himself all these moons.

"According to the warning, two will become one on the night of a full moon." His words sent chills down her spine.

"How do you know it was about me?" she demanded.

"I was walking through a field in my dream, and it was covered in sage," he explained. "And growing above the sage were tendrils of vines. Dozens of them."

Shivers swept down Sageflight's spine when she realized just how accurate he was. A field of sage and a canopy of vines. It did sound like her love for Vinetail going wrong.

"Thank you for sharing this with me," she muttered with a dip of her head.

Carefully she backed out of the den, still unnerved by the way he looked at her. Jaystorm was always right when it came to prophecies and warnings. Of that Sageflight was certain. And one thing she did know, she or Vinetail would die on the next full moon.

. . .

The time had finally come. Sageflight's fur was bristling with worry as she followed her Clanmates to the island where Gatherings were held. Vinetail was close at her side as usual. He seemed to notice her sudden tension, and took it as worry of what the Clans would think of her warrior name.

There was a real reason behind her tension. The warning that Jaystorm had given her was still haunting her dreams. Every night she would wake up screaming. Vinetail would comfort her, but than she would remember _why_ she was screaming in the first place.

_StarClan_, _is this the end for me_? she wondered as she looked at the starlit sky. The moon had blocked out most of the stars with it's brilliant light.

Dapplestar carefully made her way over the treebridge. Brushtail was at her side in an instant, long-furred tail guiding her across. The tortoiseshell leader was old now, and on her last life according to Jaystorm. Everyone in the Clan was worried about their leader's health and safety.

"Good evening Dapplestar." Sageflight's ears flattened when she recognized Thistlestar's voice. The ThunderClan leader was sitting with his warriors and elders. "I hope all is well."

"You will find out when the time comes," Dapplestar replied.

She held her chin high and approached the tree where the leaders sat. Sageflight was impressed with Dapplestar's courage.

"Vinetail, it's good to see you!" Again Sageflight stiffened when she saw Nightpaw, a ThunderClan leader, approach them. Nightpaw was a beautiful looking black she-cat with dark green eyes. Many toms had fallen for her graceful looks, but she shook them all off before they had a chance. "How are things in ShadowClan?"

"Good, Nightpaw," Vinetail replied curtly. "Hunting is favorable, and we have plenty of kits in the nursery."

"I'm a warrior now," Nightpaw meowed. "I go by Nightmoon."

_Nightmoon_. The name sent shivers of fear down Sageflight's spine.

"What's with her?" Nightmoon looked at Sageflight in surprise.

"She's just nervous... this is her first Gathering as a warrior," Vinetail explained. He gave her a look of worry before Nightmoon nudged him playfully.

"Come on, there's a great spot where you can hear the leaders talk," she purred.

Vinetail just shrugged in response and followed her. Sageflight felt her stomach lurch with pain when she realized where this was going.

_He'd rather be with her than me_, she realized.

Hurt by the thought, Sageflight stalked away from the clearing soon after WindClan and RiverClan arrived. She sat alone as the leaders went over what had happened in the past moon. She knew that she had no chance against a cat like Nightmoon.

. . .

The days had become shorter and colder as leafbare arrived. A fresh blanket of snow had covered the forest.

Sageflight sat alone once again while other cats went on patrols. A few warriors had stopped to ask where Vinetail was. She would just glare at them and bare her teeth in response. Nothing they said would change the amount of hurt she had felt since the Gathering.

"Sageflight, have you seen Vinetail anywhere?" The silvery gray she-cat stiffened when Brackenfire called her out. Brushtail had been killed in a battle against ThunderClan. The deputy had died defending Dapplestar while she was pinned to the ground by Thistlestar. But in the end the wound had become infected, and Brushtail's death had shaken the entire Clan. Brackenfire was now the Clan deputy.

"No, and I could care less where he is," she hissed irritably.

Brackenfire looked taken aback by her sudden ferocity.

"I thought you two were mates," he murmured.

"Not anymore." Sageflight's ears flattened as she stood up. "He's nothing but a foxhearted traitor."

Interest gleamed within Brackenfire's eyes, but he was cut from talking when a yowl sounded from nearby. Sageflight leaned forward when she saw Thorntail bounding forward. She was surprised to see how badly wounded he was.

"ThunderClan is attacking!" he gasped when cats peered out of their dens. "Thistlestar led a patrol deep into our territory!" With another gasp of shock he collapsed on the ground.

Angry yowls followed his words, and Dapplestar wasted no time in returning their calls.

"We must defend the borders," she cried. "Brackenfire, I want you to lead Daisytail, Mudwhisker, Rushwind, Bramblerush and Sageflight with you!"

The dark ginger deputy nodded in response. Sageflight's claws unsheathed when she realized she was part of the fighting patrol. Maybe she could take her anger out on Nightmoon. Finally, something would go her way today.

She bounded after the leaving patrol as an ancient looking Jaystorm helped Brightpaw, his apprentice, drag Thorntail's body to his den. The sun was high in the sky when Sageflight heard the wails of shock and pain.

"Thistlestar, how dare you invade our territory like this!" Brackenfire spat when he launched himself onto the light brown tabby leader.

A sneer showed on the leader's face as he swatted Brackenfire aside like he was nothing more than an annoying fly.

"How dare you invade _my_ territory, Brackenfire," he snarled. "This piece of land belongs to ThunderClan now."

Brackenfire let out a defiant screech and bit down on Thistlestar's front leg, hard. Sageflight winced as she heard bones crunching underneath, and a howl of pain and fury escaped from Thistlestar's lungs. The ThunderClan leader's eyes flashed when he realized that Brackenfire wasn't going to end it here and now.

Sageflight veered away from their fight. Her heart nearly skipped a beat when she saw Vinetail standing nearby. But sitting beside him was Nightmoon, whose eyes were wide in horror.

"What's going on here?" she demanded when she spotted Sageflight.

"I was about to ask you the same thing," Sageflight shot back. The fur along her back rose as she glowered at Nightmoon. "What are _you_ doing with _her_?"

Vinetail flinched when he realized where this was going. "Sageflight, I know that you're upset, and rightfully so-" Sageflight cut him off with a snarl of anger.

"I don't care what you say!" Her yowl echoed throughout the snow-covered forest.

Her claws unsheathed and she leaped forward, aiming for Nightmoon. The black she-cat saw what was coming and dodged to the side. Sageflight let out a caterwaul before slashing her claws across Nightmoon's face. The scent of blood filled the air, and satisfaction swelled within Sageflight's heart when Nightmoon cried out in pain.

She was about to strike again when someone barreled into her, knocking the two out of striking distance. Her eyes widened when she saw Vinetail helping Nightmoon up.

"You really are a traitor!" she spat.

"That isn't how this looks," Vinetail retorted. "Nightmoon and I were trying to figure out why Thistlestar wanted more territory. I met with her the last few days to follow him around."

Shock coursed through Sageflight when she saw that he was telling the truth. Thistlestar and his warriors were retreating. The ThunderClan leader was limping now, and Sageflight could see how terribly scarred he wold be after the battle.

"I-I don't know what to say," she whispered.

Nightmoon's face was badly wounded as well now. Long scars stretched from her eye to her neck where Sageflight had struck. But to Sageflight's surprise, Nightmoon wasn't angry. Instead, she only dipped her head in understanding.

"You were defending yourself, and your mate," she replied. "I would have done the same thing."

For the first time in her life, Sageflight remarked on how much her relationship with Vinetail had grown. Nightmoon seemed to understand how much she loved Vinetail. And the black she-cat backed away as soon as Sageflight made it clear.

The true love between Sageflight and Vinetail would never die. Jaystorm's prophecy had come true: Two had become one under the full moon.

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**AN: Vinetail was close to six moons when Sageflight was born. So he is a bit older than her, but not too much older that it would be viewed as wrong. Please remember to review!**


	17. This is War

**AN: So I thought I'd get this out before the Internet goes out. Storms are ravaging the area, and I thought this song-fic would be appropriate for the night. Thanks everyone for your reviews!**

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Chapter 17: This is War

This was it. The Clans were at war with one another. The warrior code, everything, was gone. All because of one single cat. And now, the war over the Clans had begun.

_A warning to the people, The good and the evil, This is war_.

Brightstar was running at full speed, muscles aching from running all night and day. She had to warn everyone of what was coming. The dangers that the rogues presented made her heart nearly skip a beat. And she was the only one who knew about them.

_To the soldier, the civilian, The martyr, the victim, This is war_.

Everyone in the Clans had become a victim of the wars that ravaged them. Brightstar regretted everything she had done. She was the one who had torn everyone apart. Simple warriors and apprentices were now dying because of her.

_It's the moment of truth, and the moment to lie, the moment to live and the moment to die, the moment to fight, the moment to fight to fight, to fight, to fight_!

She had reached the base where most of the warriors and apprentices had gathered. Brightstar recognized Petalpaw and Rowantooth from the early days, back when she was just a deputy. Petalpaw had just been a kit at the time. Back than she hardly understood the ways of the Clans or that she would be fighting for her life as an apprentice.

_To the right, to the left We will fight to the death! To the edge of the earth It's a brave new world from the last to the first, to the right, to the left, we will fight to the death! To the edge of the earth it's a brave new world, it's a brave new world_!

"Everyone, I need your attention!" Brightstar made sure that everyone heard. All eyes turned towards her, but to her dismay they were looks of hatred rather than looks of hope.

"Why should we pay attention to you?" spat a dark gray-blue tom. His name was Graystorm, and Brightstar knew that he had every right to be angry. "All you have ever done is spread lies and hatred to the Clans."

"Graystorm speaks the truth," meowed a ginger and white tom. He glared at Brightstar, whose ears were flattened in dismay. "When you led LeafClan we were all about to kill one another, under your orders."

"I understand your anger, and I know that you have every right to hate me," Brightstar rasped. "But trust me when I say that your lives are in danger. The rogues are coming, and they will slaughter us all." Her claws unsheathed as she remembered the look of malice in their leader's eyes.

_A warning to the prophet, the liar, the honest, this is war_. _To the leader, the pariah, the victor, the messiah, this is war_.

"How do we know you aren't the one leading them?" Rowantooth demanded. His fur was bristling with anger when he glared at her. Only Petalpaw seemed unnerved by the Clans' anger.

Brightstar was about to respond when she felt someone slam into her side. She hardly had time to react when she was pinned to the ground by Graystorm and another warrior known as Rabbitwind. Petalpaw's eyes were wide with horror while her fellow apprentices Hollowpaw, Rockpaw and Thunderpaw cheered their Clanmates.

"Keep watch over this one," Graystorm spat when Rowantooth kicked sand in Brightstar's face.

She held back a hiss of frustration as she wondered just how mousebrained these cats really were. Eagletalon, Robinflight and Oakstep were all looking away while Graystorm ordered Dawntail and Flowerstem to patrol the borders.

_It's the moment of truth, and the moment to lie, the moment to live and the moment to die, the moment to fight, the moment to fight, to fight, to fight, to fight_!

Suddenly a yowl sounded from nearby, and Brightstar's ears flattened in horror. Dawntail was thrown halfway across the clearing the warriors were hiding in. Jumping onto the boulder Brightstar had been standing on was a huge black tom with a single white paw. Dark green eyes looked down upon the panicking group of cats.

"Looks like we've got ourselves a few cowards," the tom sneered as the group began to part.

_To the right, to the left we will fight to the death! To the edge of the earth, it's a brave new world from the last to the first to the right, to the left we will fight to the death! To the edge of the earth, it's a brave new world, it's a brave new world It's a brave new world_!

"Take the younglings first," the tom ordered when the apprentices started running.

Brightstar bit her tongue when she realized that they were hopelessly outnumbered. The rogues poured into the clearing like a river overtaking the forest. She pushed the startled Rowantooth off and managed to snare her claws across the face of a dark brown tabby she-cat.

"Where's your precious StarClan now?" the dark brown tabby sneered. Blood dripped from her muzzle where Brightstar had clipped her, but she seemed oblivious.

_I do believe in the light, raise your hands into the sky, the fight is done, the war is won, lift your hands toward the sun, toward the sun, toward the sun, toward the sun, the war is won_.

Brightstar ignored the tabby's sneers and looked for the black and white tom. He was still standing on the boulder, eyes dark with contempt as he watched the struggling Clans. Her ears fell back as she lunged forward with her claws unsheathed. She was going to end this before it got worse.

"Talon, this ends now!" she howled as her claws scored deep marks into his chest.

_To the right, to the left, we will fight to the death! To the edge of the earth, it's a brave new world from the last to the first_.

Talon let out a sharp yowl of pain when she managed to get a hold of his neck with her teeth. The cats below were tiring out quickly. Brightstar knew that she would have to fight to the death in order to keep the Clans safe. Killing Talon was the only way she could win their trust back.

_To the right, to the left, we will fight to the death! To the edge of the earth, it's a brave new world, it's a brave new world, it's a brave new world_!

The black tom managed to fight her off, but not without slumping to the side. Brightstar knew that he was weakened now. She let out another caterwaul and lunged forward once more. Ears flattened and fur bristling, Brightstar made her last attempt at killing Talon. And this time it worked.

_A brave new world, the war is won, the war is won, a brave new world_.

The war against the rogues was won. The followers of Talon had fled soon after realizing that he was dead. Brightstar lifted her blood-soaked muzzle and gazed out at the Clans.

"I am sorry for what I did," she meowed. "I know that you will not forgive me. But know that I will always fight to keep you safe."

In that split moment, the Clans seemed to accept her apology. Brightstar felt pride surge through her when she noticed the approving looks she received. She would live the rest of her life as an outcast. But she would keep her promise until her final life was taken.

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**AN: So what did you think? Love the song This Is War from 30 Seconds to Mars. Definitely one of my favorites next to Kings and Queens.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own the song This is War. It is owned by 30 Seconds to Mars.**


	18. Stormy Night

**AN: So this is a bit of a random one-shot I thought of. I thought of making it into a full story before scrapping the idea. So here's number eighteen, Stormy Night. Oh, and thanks everyone for your reviews, they make my world a bit brighter :D**

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Chapter 18: Stormy Night

I can remember the days when the nights were warm and comforting. I was in my nest when the first storm came. The kits were huddled against me as I lolled them to sleep. My mate, Nightfire, was somewhere with Aspenstar and Leafstorm. My name was Stormfeather. A bit of a dramatic name if you ask me, but Aspenstar wanted something that stuck out.

So as I sat there watching the kits, the first signs of a storm had arrived. Clouds gathered in the night sky. The air had become still and warm. Something told me that this was only the beginning of something worse.

"This is strange weather," Lilactail murmured when she peered out of the nursery. "Why is the moon being covered?"

"I'm not sure," I admitted.

I felt guilty, because I _did_ know what these clouds were. We lived on the highest part of the mountain, reaching up towards the sky. StoneClan was our name.

We've lived in the mountains for as long as I can remember. Every now and than, vicious storms from the sea would rise over us. We had to stay in the confinement of camp during those terrible storms. Many lives were lost during the very first storm.

Lightningstar, our leader at the time, had convinced everyone that he was the cause of these storms. And when he told everyone to listen, the storms had suddenly stopped. This story was passed down from elder to elder, as a reminder of the actions Lightningstar had taken to save the Clan.

But this time there was no Lightningstar. We were alone to face the wrath of the storms. Many cats had glared at me because of my name when I first opened my eyes. And now they would blame me again because of these storms.

I closed my eyes and prayed that these storms would pass quickly throughout the night. And that my Nightfire remained safe.

"Stormfeather..." My eyes flashed open when I heard my name being whispered.

Warily I looked around to find out who had called my name. To my surprise I wasn't in the nursery, surrounded by the warmth of my kits. Instead I was standing in the middle of a foggy forest. And a familiar scent filled my lungs when I opened my mouth to taste the air.

"Where am I?" I asked when I saw nothing but darkness ahead.

"You are... in between," the voice replied. A shudder coursed down my spine as I wondered what that meant. "Not exactly dead, and not exactly alive."

Worry clouded my thoughts. Were my kits safe? Did Nightfire survive? Why was I put here in the first place?

"Am I dead?" I asked.

"No," the voice responded. "I brought you here because of the fears you have been feeling."

Almost at once that overwhelming sense of fear took over again. My claws unsheathed as lightning flashed around me. The air had become warm and tense as my fur began to ruffle. And as suddenly as the storm had appeared, it vanished.

Replaced by the clouds was a dark ginger tom with streaks running down his legs and tail. My heart nearly skipped a beat when I recognized the stranger.

"L-Lightningstar?" I nearly choked out.

"My dear Stormfeather, you are more important to the Clan than they realize," Lightningstar explained. He was smirking, and I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Guess I'd find out soon enough. "You remember the stories the elders pass on about me, don't you?" When I nodded, the smirk faded. "They left out an important detail. The reason why the storms had stopped, it was because I _told_ them to. I discovered that I have the power to stop storms from coming over the mountains."

I stared at Lightningstar in disbelief. Either he was truly insane, or he was telling the truth. No cat had that kind of power. It wasn't possible. Even the Nofurs couldn't control storms like that.

"Look, I know that you're pulling my tail, so let me get some decent sleep," I muttered crossly.

"You really don't believe me?" His eyes flashed with anger, and unease crawled through my fur. I nodded, and Lightningstar shook his head in mock disappointment. "Oh dear Stormfeather, how wrong you are... why don't I show you the potential you have."

I took a few steps back, unsure of what he meant by that. But I had a feeling it could only lead to disaster.

And in the next few heartbeats, I found that I was right. Clouds swirled around me, and a fierce wind picked up. I dug my claws into the bare soil as the wind threatened to pick me up.

_StarClan help me_! I begged as lightning flashed around my. Streaks of energy coursed around me as the lightning drew closer. I could see the glow in Lightningstar's green eyes as he watched. He was _enjoying_ the horror I felt as I was dragged into the middle of the storm.

"Leave her alone!" My ears were ringing, but I would recognize that voice anywhere.

_Nightfire_! My eyes searched desperately for his dark black fur. A yowl of fury rose above the ringing. Nightfire had pinned Lightningstar to the ground, and his lips were drawn in a snarl.

"Leave her alone!" he repeated the order.

"No," Lightningstar crowed. "She is mine... she always has been mine!" I stared at Lightningstar in horror as he flung Nightfire to the side.

"Nightfire, I can't do this without you!" I cried as the lightning struck closer.

Nightfire's eyes suddenly flashed open, and to my surprise, he leaped towards Lightningstar. The dark ginger tom was not expecting the sudden attack. I couldn't look away when Nightfire dug his claws into Lightningstar's chest, pinning the smaller tom to the ground.

"This ends now!" he snarled venomously. The storm around me had begun to slow. My stomach lurched when I realized that Lightningstar was right.

_He has the power to control storms_, I thought bitterly. As Nightfire continued biting down into Lightningstar's throat, the storms came to a halt.

The storms had faded all together as his life was taken. Nightfire dropped Lightningstar's body as it began to fade as well. I watched with interest when a faint spark of light appeared where he had been standing.

"Is it over?" I asked when Nightfire limped towards me. I barely noticed that my legs were trembling until he pressed against me comfortingly.

"I think it is," he whispered. "The elders were wrong... Lightningstar was a cruel leader. He won't haunt anyone evermore."

I looked at Nightfire hopefully before dipping my head. Despite the terror Lightningstar had created, I felt some respect. He did what no other cat could do. He created the stormy nights. And now StoneClan could live in peace thanks to his second death.


	19. Wading in the Shadows

**AN: Here's a very dark chapter. Don't know what it is with my erm... darker side. But anywho, thanks everyone for your reviews! Enjoy the chapter!**

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Chapter 19: Wading in the Shadows

My name brings fear to the kits in the nursery. I am the thing that keeps everyone from breaking the warrior code.

I am the one that wades in the shadows. My name, Thunderfang.

I was an apprentice when I made my first kill. My mentor was ambitious, and she saw the darkness in me first. So she helped that ambition build. She taught me moves that no one else knew about. She turned me into a fighting machine.

When I became a warrior everyone expected great things from me. My mentor supposedly died in a battle against ShadowClan, but no one knew the truth behind her death. I killed her when she threatened to tell the Clan what I had become. My claws were already stained with the blood of my Clanmates when I became a newly named warrior.

No one suspected that the sickly dark gray kit would turn into a murderous killer. For too long cats had believed I was too weak to become a warrior. And when I finally earned my warrior name, I began to slaughter the ones that had looked me down.

One by one the cats I hated the most fell. I left my dear old sister, Featherfur for last. She seemed to know what was happening and had tried to warn her Clanmates.

Featherfur was my latest target. I stalked her until she stopped near a young oak tree. She was sniffing a clump of ferns a patrol had passed earlier. I rolled my eyes at her ignorance and wondered whether or not I should wait.

"Thunderfang, what are you doing here?" Featherfur froze when she recognized my scent. I smirked and stepped out of the shadows.

"You're next, dear sister," I sneered.

Her eyes lit up when she realized what I meant by that. Without another word she sprinted off into the forest, claws digging up scraps of dirt on the way. I let out a purr of amusement when I let her escape. It was only a matter of time before I caught up with her.

With a flick of my tail I bounded after her at full speed. I didn't bother looking to see if anyone else was with her. Even if someone was there to defend her, I would flay them.

"Thunderfang, why are you doing this? You have no quarrel with me!" Featherfur hissed when I caught up with her. She was tiring quickly, while I still had plenty of run left in me.

I narrowed my eyes and glared at her coldly. Everyone thought that she was perfect. They all believed that she would become the next leader of ThunderClan. I was going to prove them wrong, by killing the thing they cared about most.

"You never cared about me, even when we were kits," I spat. My fur was bristling with anger as I advanced towards her. "Everyone treated you with respect while they thought I would amount to nothing."

My sister's eyes widened in horror. "Look, I _do_ care about you Thunderfang," she whispered. "The only reason I have avoided you all these moons was because of what you have turned into-"

She didn't get the chance to finish. I lunged forward and buried my claws into her throat. She let out a strangled cry that was cut short.

"You will fall like all the others!" I snarled venomously.

I continued glaring at her until I felt someone ram into me. Featherfur let out a choking cry when I was thrown across the forest. I looked up in disbelief to see Thistlenose staring at me with rage. The light brown tabby tom was standing beside Featherfur as she struggled to stand.

"I always knew that you were a traitor!" Thistlenose yowled. "You killed my mother! You killed far too many warriors!"

Thistlenose lunged forward, claws unsheathed as he pinned me to the ground. I was still too stunned to fight back when he wasted no time in gripping my neck with his teeth. The pain didn't last too long as his fangs had punctured a fatal wound.

But the pain of watching him save Featherfur's life lasted far longer. While she became the next leader of ThunderClan, I sat alone in the forest of darkness. I could only watch as she led the Clan into a brighter future.

All the while, I waded in the shadows. Until the next time I can seek revenge, I will wade forever in the darkness.


End file.
